


Home is with you

by fullmetalpotterhead



Series: Childhood Friends [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-26 18:13:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5015005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullmetalpotterhead/pseuds/fullmetalpotterhead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shorts from my captain swan childhood friends au. Totally out of any chronological order and shorter. I'll update whenever inspiration happens. (This is actually part two in the childhood friends series)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> Haha I forgot this one was longer oops. The next one is short.

Killian stopped in front of the jewelry shop, staring at the display. Henry sighed and turned back to stand next to him.  
"What're you looking at?" Killian jumped, as if he had just been caught doing something wrong, and turned to start towards home again.  
"Nothing lad, let's go."  
"Oh no you don't! You've been doing this all week."  
"It's nothing lad, don't worry."  
"Are you getting mom a present?"  
"Your mother isn't exactly the jewelry type now, is she?" Henry thought for a moment and then lit up with a new idea.  
"A wedding ring!" Killian looked ahead without saying a word. "I'm right aren't I? When are you going to ask her?"  
"There's no need to rush things, lad. You know how she is." But Henry was already pulling him back to the store.  
"Let me help pick it out!"  
"I don't even know her ring size." Killian grabbed the hand Henry was tugging at him with and led him further from the store.  
"I'll find out for you!"  
"And how exactly will you do that?"  
"I'll figure it out! Operation Doves!"  
"Operation Doves?" Killian chuckled.  
"Yeah! 'Cause you release doves at weddings? Please let me help?"

Killian finally relented. He had no clue how he was going to discretely get her ring size on his own anyways. He'd been running through scenarios in his head for weeks. Henry simply took the direct approach at dinner.  
"Hey mom? What's your ring size?" Killian nearly dropped his fork.  
"I don't know, I'm not really big on rings. Why?"  
"Something we're making in art class. The teacher brought in a model we can use for different sizes." Killian nearly choked at the seamless lies the boy was spinning so easily.  
"Make whatever size seems good to you. It'll probably fit one of my fingers." Killian did his best to keep a neutral face; a bit disappointed the plan hadn't work.  
"I can just measure it."  
"Hm?"  
"With a piece of string, here." Henry got out of his seat and got a few multicolored strings and a pen. Emma held out her hand and waited while he wrapped and marked each string for the length around her fingers.  
"You gonna make one for every finger?"  
"I just haven't decided yet." Emma gave him a strange look but just shook her head in the end.  
"Just eat your dinner, kid."  
* * *  
Emma slipped into Killian's room that night, as had become their habit, and gave him a quick kiss before sitting down on the bed.  
"Henry was lying earlier." Killian nearly jumped out of his skin for the second time that night. "I just don't understand why he'd lie about a school project like that."  
"That bloody superpower of yours is really something, Swan."  
"Don't make fun, I'm serious. He never lies to me." Killian sat down next to her on the bed, hoping his heart had calmed down to a more normal speed, before pulling her into him.  
"I'm sure he has his reasons, love. Don't worry too much." Emma leaned into Killian with a sigh.  
"You're just trying to distract me." He grinned at her.  
"Succeeding, I hope?" Emma laughed, changing her position so that she sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.  
"You seem to have quite a lot of confidence."  
"It's alright, Swan. I know I'm very dashing. No need to be shy."  
* * *  
Henry had managed to get Emma's ring size and so the boys headed back to the jewelry shop the next day. Henry rushed in, clearly excited by the prospect of helping pick the ring.  
"What about this one?" Henry pointed at the flashiest ring he found and Killian made a face.  
"She'll turn me down just for picking out something so glittery."  
"This one?" A two-tone gold ring with entirely too many diamonds for Emma's taste.  
"This is for your mother! Do we know that same person?"  
"How about this?" This one was set with a black diamond and Killian considered it a moment before shaking his head. "You're making this so difficult," Henry complained.  
"You're the one who wanted to come, lad."  
"Excuse me," a woman with blond hair and a professional smile greeted the boys. "Do you need some help?"  
"We're looking for an engagement ring for my mom!" Henry told her.  
"Is that right? Well I'm sure my father and I have something in stock that will suit her tastes. Midas' Gold is the best jewelry store in town."  
"It's the only jewelry shop in town."  
"Exactly." The woman took out a grand display of rings, pointing out a few here and there and found him rejecting each one. Midway through Henry had gotten bored and went down the street for ice cream, leaving the poor woman to deal with Killian's pickiness alone.  
"Sir, what kind of ring are you hoping to find? I've shown you our entire collection." She finally asked, clearly exasperated.  
"Kathryn, don't snap at the customers." An old man came in from the back, smiling the same professional smile his daughter had dropped twenty minutes ago.  
"Father, these are all the engagement ring designs we have." She whispered harshly.  
"Then we'll just have to make a new one." Kathryn sighed before straightening herself again and plastering on her smile. Reaching behind the counter, Katheryn grabbed a sketchbook and handed it off to her father.  
"Good luck." She wandered to the back, clearly glad to be rid of Killian's indecisiveness.  
"So, what kind of ring are you looking for?"  
"I just want something that will show her how much she means to me."  
"And the engagement rings we have don't do that?"  
"They do its just," Killian ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "They aren't her." The man, Midas, Killian presumed, softened a bit, giving Killian a genuine smile.  
"Well then, what does she mean to you?"  
"She's," Killian paused, trying to find a way to phrase it right, "She's my best friend. We've known each other all our lives. We're family. She's my support, my home, my reason for getting up in the morning. She's like... Like something beautiful born from an ugly circumstance. Does that make sense?" Midas nodded, jotting down a few things.  
"And her taste in jewelry?" Killian laughed a little at that.  
"She's not really the type to wear something flashy. She prefers things that are quieter. Simple." Midas was still nodding and smiling.  
"I think I have just the thing." He hurried to the backroom, returning with a small box. "We're running low right now but I can't help but think this would be just perfect for you two." Inside the box was a pearl, Midas handed it to Killian and went back to the sketchbook. "The pearl would be the stone and the accent around it would be a wave pattern wrapping around the Pearl," he turned the sketchbook a little so Killian could see what he was doing, "And the band would be left plain. I'm thinking you don't want gold so maybe silver would be better?"  
"That's perfect." Killian stared at the drawing, already imagining how it would look on Emma's finger.  
"You're satisfied with this one then? It will take a few weeks to finish."  
"That's fine. I like it better that way."  
* * *  
Emma crossed her arms and surveyed her room again. She could not for the life of her figure out where her badge was. Killian had a habit of stealing it from her and wearing it but he usually gave it back. Satisfied that it wasn't in her room she headed to Killian's.  
Not in the nightstand.  
Not under the bed.  
Emma eyed the jacket hanging over his desk chair.  
He hadn't been wearing it yesterday but she decided to check the pockets just to be safe. She slipped her hand in the pocket, pulling out a little box. Curious, she opened it. Without a doubt, what was inside was not her badge.  
Emma wasn't an idiot, and, despite how long it took her to actually get together with Killian, she wasn't dense either. It was an engagement ring. Emma had no clue how long he'd had the ring, had no clue when he was planning to propose, but she suddenly felt very stupid as everything began to fall into place.  
Henry lying to her about a school art project. The way Killian had been so strange about it. The way he kept putting his hand in his pocket instead of in hers lately. How he kept seeming to almost say something only to change his mind last minute.  
She was amazed it had taken her this long to figure it out.  
Emma plopped down on the bed, still holding the little box with the ring in it. He probably thought he was acting normal. She could tell he did from the way he tried to play it off every time. That's why she hadn't asked. Decided to let him talk to her when he was ready like he always did. Slipping the ring out of the box she gently slid it onto her ring finger. It really was beautiful. It wasn't a shiny new diamond, but it was very them. And they were never the traditional types anyways.  
The front door opened and closed. There was a shuffling of feet before Killian called out.  
"Swan! Are you still here?"  
"Yeah."  
"I accidentally brought your badge with me this morning and I-" Killian stopped dead at the door as he took in the sight of her seated comfortably on the bed, already wearing the engagement ring. Emma grinned sheepishly and took it off again, putting it back in the box.  
"Sorry. I kind of found it."  
"Y-I...How?"  
"I was looking for my badge. It was an accident." Killian was looking thoroughly terrified. "It's for me, isn't it?"  
"Emma I didn't mean to..." He was so nervous Emma almost wanted to laugh. As if she'd reject him. What was he afraid of? "I didn't mean for you to see that. You can think of it however you want; we don't even have to get married. I get it if you want to just ignore that this ever happened." It was only as he hurriedly took the ring back, shoving it into his pocket that Emma realized rejection was exactly what he was afraid of. Sometimes she forgot how much Killian paid attention to her.  
"Killian, you're not Walsh." He stopped blabbering and met her eyes hesitantly. "I'm not going to run away."  
"It's not... It's not too much?" Even as close as they were, she rarely saw him this anxious over anything.  
"Killian, do you remember when we started dating?"  
"You were as bloody calm as you are right now and I still cannot figure out how you do that." Emma held back a laugh a grabbed his hand, pulling him over to sit next to her on the bed.  
"I told you then and I'll tell you again. I'm not worried you'll leave me. I'm not worried that what we have will get to be too much. You know me, inside and out. And I know you. And if we've been able to stick together this long, flaws and all, I know we'll be able to do it forever. I really love you." He seemed to regain his footing somewhat, though she could still tell he was bluffing horribly to cover his nerves. Leaning forward he gently rested his forehead against hers.  
"Does that mean it's a yes, love?"  
"You haven't really asked me anything yet." She teased, laughing as he gave her an irritated look before kissing her.  
"Will you marry me then, Swan?" She tapped her chin as if in thought.  
"I suppose I could. It's going to be hard to fit it into my schedule though." Killian muttered something about her being the most infuriating woman he'd ever met before drowning her in kisses.


	2. Revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said these will have no chronological order and will be short. This one is before Storybrooke but after Henry was born. Its not Halloween themed despite what time I'm posting this. Maybe I should do a Halloween one though...

Killian waited in the hallway while Henry grabbed his things. Emma would be home late tonight. It had been a tight squeeze for him to pick up Henry too but they couldn't very well leave the boy at the daycare all night. So he'd done what he could and headed over. The teacher there gave Killian a friendly smile.   
"Your Henry's father right? I don't think I've gotten the chance to actually speak with you before. He's such a sweet boy."  
"Oh I'm not the lad's father." Killian chuckled a bit. The woman looked a bit confused.   
"I'm sorry I just assumed-"  
"It's fine, we get it more than you'd think."  
"Well I can tell Henry thinks highly of you. We were making family portraits and he included you in it. I'm sure he'll be happy to have you as his step father."  
"Miss Swan and I aren't together." The woman was clearly flustered by now.  
"I'm sorry it was wrong of me to assume."  
"It happens more often then you'd think, love. Don't worry about it." Henry came back then, taking Killian's hand and waving goodbye to his teacher as they left.   
"What were you and Mrs. Rosie talking about?"  
"The lass thought I was your father."  
"Aren't you?"  
"No I- why do you think that?" Killian buckled Henry into the car and waited as the boy looked at him with shrug.   
"Jason said his dad really loves his mom so they had him. You really love mommy and you had me, right?" Killian laughed at the boy's misunderstanding.   
"Your mother and I aren't in love with each other in that way, lad."  
"What way?"  
"We're like family. Jason's parents love each other ROMANTICALLY. You'll understand when you get a bit older."  
"What's the difference?" Killian ruffled the boy's hair.   
"Well if you're grown up and your in love romantically you'll want to always be with each other and maybe start a family and kiss and-" Killian stopped, a sudden look of horror on his face. "There's no way."  
"No way, what?" Killian hastily closed the car door and got in the driver's seat.   
"Nothing lad, don't worry." But while Henry might not have been worrying, Killian was. In fact he near wanted to dunk his head in a bucket of ice he was worrying so much. He was in love with Emma Swan.   
It was quite possibly the worst thing he could have ever realized.   
He was her BEST FRIEND, and as a best friend he knew her better than anybody. Which meant he knew better than anybody what being in love with Emma Swan meant. In the five years since Neal had left her, Emma had had a few chances with relationships.   
And every one of them had ended in disaster. Because Emma had a nasty little habit of running from anyone she thought might make her happy.   
If he thought about it, the habit had began before Neal came along, his betrayal had simply worsened it. He was convinced the only reason she hadn't run from him and Henry yet was because she considered them true family. If he made a move on her she was sure to bolt.   
And so it was that in that ten minute car ride back to the apartment that Killian swore never to let Emma know his true feelings for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh. I'm still not satisfied with it but whatever. Close enough. Killian is a nerd child. Henry is a cinnamon child. And Emma is still in the dark and will remain for several years.

**Author's Note:**

> Emma likes tormenting him. Comments and constructive criticism are always appreciated.


End file.
